China’s drone industry, the source of 70% of the aircraft sold worldwide, has seen a boom helped domestically by a lack of regulation, but that is finally coming to an end, as more cities put limits on drone flights.
The center of the country’s drone-making industry, Guangzhou, is set to create no-fly zones, including over schools, tourist attractions, commercial circles, and near airports, reports Caixin.
The ban is due in part to concerns that drones could take down a jetliner, with some comparing the effect of such a collision to a cannonball strike. In mid-April, more than 100 flights were grounded or diverted by wayward drones near Chendu’s airport in Sichuan Province.
Other cities that have already mapped out areas off limits to drones include Beijing, Chongqing, Xi’an and Zhengzhou.